Beth Pechtel took advantage of many educational opportunities before she opened her studio at Simply Special.
By Ann Hauprich
What began 15 years ago as a hobby that celebrated the lives and legacies of relatives, friends and co-workers has blossomed into a South Glens Falls business that is, well . . . Simply Special.
Devoted to “creating the most personal and meaningful heirlooms” possible using high quality American-made materials, Simply Special operates out of a sunny studio where founder and sole proprietor Beth Pechtel spends an average of 14 hours a day.
Although products and services include DVD slide shows and “Remember Me” CDs for what she calls “any and all occasions”, Ms. Pechtel says Simply Special’s primary focus is on Memorial Services, which typically call for the preparation of “Memory Collages” and cards.
“It is extremely important to capture, honor and preserve the true essence of one’s life — to leave a legacy for loved ones,” reflects Ms. Pechtel. “Losing someone is difficult enough and can be very overwhelming and stressful for those left behind.”
Her advice is for individuals to take action while still in good health in order to and leave loved ones “an heirloom of your memories as though they are looking through your eyes.”
In short, Simply Special “helps you plan how you would like to be remembered,” says Ms. Pechtel, who personally meets with each client in order to determine his or her precise needs. Consultations typically take place in the client’s residence.
Asked about the inspiration for the business, Ms. Pechtel is reflective. “Growing up I came from a broken home and felt I was never good enough; I took everything very personally. For that reason, I have always gone out of my way to make people feel special by making unique gifts. I have been doing graphic art, matting and framing as a hobby for more than 15 years. I had always wanted to start my own business, but never had the courage to do so until I lost my job at the end of 2011. I was part of the downsizing and offloading product lines to Mexico. That is why I’m committed to using products made in the USA. This was the kick in the butt that I needed. My sign from above. I had to at least give it a shot, so I am.”
Although she’s officially been in business only one month, Ms. Pechtel says the demand for her products and services is already brisk. To better appreciate the painstaking nature of Ms. Pechtel’s work, one need only pay attention to the detail that goes into each creation.
“The Memory Card is a 4″ x 6″ photo keepsake designed to represent a loved one’s persona or special occasion with a unique background, poem, prayer or favorite saying that best honors the life they live(d) or moment in time,” says Ms. Pechtel. It consists of photos received from the customer that are scanned and digitally enhanced to restore their natural beauty. They are then creatively placed, sized and edited, showing depth and precision artistry, in a poster-size background of the customer’s choosing,” explains Ms. Pechtel. The finished product is printed on archival quality photo paper and custom matted to enhance the artwork. Clients choose from a selection of top quality USA made frames in which the finished work will be placed safely behind museum quality glass, resulting in an heirloom for future generations to enjoy.
“The DVD slide shows are a compilation of photos received from customers that are scanned and digitally enhanced. They are then placed into a slide show along with soft transitions, movie effects and music of their choice, thus creating their own personal home movie to reflect upon as often as they like,” notes Ms. Pechtel.
The “Remember Me” CD is a collection of the customer’s favorite photos — which are copied onto a CD with specific instructions of how they would like to be remembered. Photos as large as 8.5″ x 11″ may be scanned as JPEGS at a resolution of 300 dpi before being burned to a CD. “Simply Special provides a questionnaire for them to fill out with information that is all about them, their life and how they want everyone to remember them. They can specify if they would like a Memory Collage, Memory Cards and/or DVD Slideshow and they can keep a copy with their will and give a copy to family and friends,” according to Ms. Pechtel.
“In the event of their passing, family and friends can bring it to Simply Special to create a very special reflection of their life, based on their exact wishes. Suffering a loss is hard enough, and this will alleviate some stress, giving them time to grieve as well as something to cherish.”
After years of creating keepsakes as gifts for loved ones, the issue of pricing has been “challenging” for Ms. Pechtel, but she believes she has developed reasonably priced packages that reflect the time and care she puts into each and every heirloom creation. The most rewarding part of operating her own business thus far has been “being able to do something that has meaning and really matters to people. I love what I do!” Receiving positive feedback from clients also moves Ms. Pechtel deeply.
To assist in cementing a sturdy foundation for her new business, Beth Pechtel has been attending Start Up Smart Entrepreneurial Training at the Southern Saratoga Chamber of Commerce. She recently received her certificate of completion after successfully finishing the seven-week program and has also been taking online classes through New York State’s Self-Employment Assistance Program.
Although the lifelong South Glens Falls resident had vast experience in computer drafting and graphic design, Ms. Pechtel had no business background at the time she lost her position due to downsizing and needed a bit of help.
“I have now taken classes for accounting, web development, marketing, cash flow management, security and network fundamentals, Quickbooks, business formations, building profitable customer relationships and strategies for communicating with tact and diplomacy. There are thousands to choose from and I may take some more if I have time,” Ms. Pechtel told the Glens Falls Business Journal.
Noting the free program allows qualified participants to collect unemployment while securing resources to start up new businesses, Ms. Pechtel adds: “There are no extensions with this, so once the 26 weeks are up you are on your own. They do have benchmarks to meet in order to receive benefits. It has been a fantastic program.”
The founder and sole proprietor of Simply Special credits Kate Baker at the NYS Small Business Development Center and John Marcantonio from ARCC as well as Richard Sellers and Dick Burk at SCORE with providing her with much much-needed direction. “Their guidance throughout this overwhelming process was invaluable. They have a lot to offer and I highly recommend them. The contacts, support and encouragement I received from everyone was wonderful,” says Ms. Pechtel.
To learn more, email SimplySpecialAndMore@nycap.rr.com, call 232-0906, or visit www.SimplySpecialAndMore.com.